Door check mechanism



Feb. 12, 1952 M. CARLSON 2,535,625

DOOR CHECK MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 1 fig Mug lll-lllllllllh 25 86 INVENTOR.

' martin Carlson Feb. 12, 1952 CARLSON 2,585,625

DOOR CHECK MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 \INVENTOR. martin Carla on M7IZ QZZ Feb. 12, 1952 M. CARLSON 2,585,625

DOOR CHECK MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENmR. lnartin- Carlson Mia 9%6JL Q 5 Feb. 12, 1952 M. CARLSON 2,585,625

DOOR CHECK MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. martin Carlson "Migw Patented Feb. 12, 1952 o i I 2,585,625

Martin Carlson, Brookfield, Ill., assignor to George W. Houlsby, .112, Chicago, 111.

Application January 21, 1950, Serial-No. 139,831 2 Claims. (01. 16-55) This invention relates to door check mechanisms, and more particularly to such mechanisms which are adapted to the control of the movements of single-acting doors which. move in only'one direction from a closed position and close against a jamb.

Itis a general object of my inventionto pro vide an efiicient and effective door check mechanismof the type adapted to mounting in substan-.

tially flush relationship to a surface at one end ofa single acting door for normally holding the door closed and for controlling movements of the door to one side of that closed position.

My invention further has within its purview the provision of a door check mechanism of thetype adapted to serve as a hinge or pivot for a door and which embodies an inexpensive, but effective seal for preventing the leakage of liquid or lubricant from the-housing of the mechanism along the door spindle thereof.

As another object, this invention comprehends the provision of a door check mechanism which provides different rates of motion of asingle acting door at different portions of the door closing movements and which is adapted to be readily and accurately adjusted for effecting. relatively rapid door closure without noise, and to hold such an adjustment, so as to provide long and consistent service.

The invention has for another object the provision of a door check mechanismof the type referred to and in which the parts of the mechanism are so constructed and arranged that a single cam element serves to effect operation of.

the controlling "parts of the mechanism and as an-element for transmitting forces of. the mechanism to the door.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in-which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring .to the five sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 isa top plan view of the exterior of a accompany- Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 2, but wherein therriecha-nism is viewed from the opposite side;

Fig. 5-is a fragmentary side sectional View wherein the sectioniis taken substantially as indicated by a line 5*5 of Fig. 3 and accompany ing arrows; V

Fig... 6 is an end sectional view wherein the section is taken-substantially on a line 6-6 of Fig. 4 and in the direction indicated by arrows;

Fig. "7 is a 'iragm'entary side sectional view wherein the section is taken substantially on a line l-'| of Fig. '8 and the direction of the arrows;

Figs. '8 and 9 are end sectional views in which the sections are taken substantially as indicated by lines B-8 and 9--9 in Fig. 7 and in the directions of the arrows; and

-Figs. 10., .11 and 12 are similar top sectional views taken substantially at a position indicated by a line lit-40 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows; the three figures depicting difierent operating positions of the parts of my door check mechanism.

Considered generally, the exemplary door check mechanism which is depicted herein for illustrative purposes is adapted to mounting at one end of a door and to serve as a hinge upon which the door ismounted for swinging movement. 7 The purpose of the mechanism is to bias the door to a closed position and to effect movement thereof to that closed position at a varying rate so that-the door is closed with relative rapidity but Without slamming. Although parts of the mechanism might be adapted to a double acting door check mechanism, such as are utilized for doors which swing in two directions from a central position, the door check mechanism herein shown is suited to use on a single acting door which-swings in only one direction from its closed position and is held closed against ajamb.

In the form illustrated, a door check operating mechanism I5 is secured to a cover plate 16 and movably mounted in an outer casing l7 the combination being adapted to mounting with the cover plate It in substantially flush relationship to the floor or sill below a door. A spindle 18 projects upwardly irom the cover plate It and has-a tapered end portion l9 which is adapted to fit snugly into a socket in the end of the door and to serve as a hinge upon which the door is mounted.

The mechanisnr generally is of a spring actuated and liquid-controlled type. That is. within the operating mechanism, a 'cam 20 is secured'to" the spindle [8 within the casing and 22 and 23 also serves as the actuatin element of the control mechanism.

Considering my disclosed door operating relationships in greater detail, the cover plate l fits into the top of the outer casing I1 and rests against integral shoulders 24 (Figs. 6, 8 and 9) which extend along the sides of that casing; the cover plate being secured to the outer housing by fastening means, such as screws 25 (Fig. 1). An inner liquid tight housing 26 has a flanged top margin 21 and is secured in liquid tight relationship to the inner surface of mechanism and its operating parts and their I the cover plate [6 by fastening means, such as screws 28 A liquid, such as oil, normally fills the inner housing 26 to a level 29 near the cover plate [6, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the operating parts of the mechanism l5 functionin a. liquid bath, and the inner housing serves as a sump or supply container for the liquid utilized in effecting regulated control of the door closing movement.

Within the inner housing, a cylinder block 30 is secured to the cover plate It and has therein, in side-by-side and adjacent relationship, a cylinder bore 32 and slide block bearing 33 (Figs. 5, 7 and 9); the axes of the cylinder bore and slide block bearing being substantially parallel to one another. Both the. cylinder bore and the slide block bearing extend through the cylinder block and have ends opening toward the spindle end of the housing. Furthermore, the cylinder block 30 preferably has formed as an integral part thereof a projecting supporting flange portion 34 at the spindle end. As shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the supporting flange portion 34 of the cylinder block is in spaced and substantially parallel relationship to the cover plate 16.

. With the parts thus arranged and disposed,

anti-friction bearings 35 and 36' are utilized to support the spindle I8 for rotation relative to the cover plate I6 and supporting flange portion 34 respectively. An insert 31 having a collar portion 38 and an externally shouldered portion 39 fits into a bore 40 in the cover plate l6 and provides an outer race forthe anti-friction bearing .35. The collar portion 38 of the insert has an internal groove 42 therein which carries a sealing washer 43 of substantially X-shaped section. This washer fits into the internal groove 42' and is made of .aresilient material such as rubber, so that 'itiengages' the exterior of the spindle l8 to serve as-a shaft seal. Additionally, the spindle provides an inner race 44 for the anti-friction bearing 35and has internally of the housing from that race a shoul' der 45 thereon which provides an annular seat for a flanged resilient washer 4E. The latter washer being made of a resilient material such as rubber has its outer flanged edge biased into engagement with the margin of the internal surface of the insert 31 to provide an inner-shaft seal. .These seals not only prevent the liquid" from leaking out of the inner housing along the spindle, but also seal the anti-friction bearing to retain its lubricant. It may be observed that the arrangement of the inner and outer races for the anti-friction bearing 35 is such that that bearing is adapted to absorb axial thrust, as well as providing radial support for the spindle.

At'the other end of the spindle, an inner race 41 for the anti-friction bearing 36 isformed thereon. An apertured disk 48 which is seated for axial movement in a counterbore 49 in the supporting portion 34 of the cylinder block provides an outer race 50 for the anti-friction hearing 36; the inner and outer races 41 and 50 being disposed. to receive axial thrust from the spindle, as Well as to provide radial support therefor. An apertured screw plug 52 is threaded into a bore 53 in the supporting portion 34 of the cylinder block in coaxial relationship to the disk 48 and serves as an adjustable seat for that disk by which the axial position of the outer race 50 may be adjusted to take up any end play of the spindle. The cam 20 may be made as an integral part of the spindle although it is preferably fabricated as a separate piece and drivingly secured to the spindle, and located axially of the spindle by a shoulder 54, as shown in Fig. 6.

As shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 9 to 12, the slide block bearing 33 in the cylinder block carries a slide block 55 for linear sliding movement in alignment with one side of the cam 20. At the end adjacent the cam, the slide block 55 is bifurcated to provide projecting fingers 56 and 57, which fingers have secured thereto a cross shaft 58. A roller 59 is supported for rotation by the cross shaft 58 between the fingers 56 and 51 and serves as a follower for engagement with a surface 60 of the cam 20.

At the end of the slide block 55 opposite the roller 59 bars 62 and 53 are seated in bores 54 and 65 and secured in place therein, so as to project from the slide block in substantially parallel relationship to one another. seating washers 66 and 61 are carried by the bars 62 and 63 adjacent the end of the slide block 55 to provide seats for one end of each of the compression springs 22 and 23 respectively.

At a distance from the slide block bearing 33 and in alignment with the bars 62 and 63, an

62 and 63 and have abutment elements 12 and 73 threaded therein for adjustment axially of the bars. The abutment elements I2 and 13 are. provided with axial bearings 14 and 15 which receive the ends of the bars 62 and 63 to provide supports therefor. Flanged seating washers l6 and TI abut the ends of the abutment elements 12 and 73 and receive the ends of the compression springs 22 and 23 opposite the slide block 55, whereby those compression springs are supported to exert a force upon the slide block and thence through the cam roller 59 to the cam 20. In-the disclosed structure, the springs 22 and 23' and the bars 62 and B3 are disposed one above the other. Access for effecting adjustment of the positions of the abutment elements 12 and 13 relative to the abutment bracket 68, so as to adjust the pressure of the springs 22 and 23, is at-itained by removal of a screw plug 18 whichis; threaded into an opening 19 in the cover plate Flanged I6. In order to provide ease of adjustment of the force of both of the springs 22 and'23- at one time and through the opening I9 in the cover plate, the abutment elements I2 and I3 are re- It being desirable in a single acting door checkmechanism that the mechanism shall exert a force to hold the door against a jamb, it is preferable to allow sufficient movement of the spindle I8 that its limit of such movement in the door closing direction shall be substantially as depicted in Fig. 1, wherein the direction of door closing movement of the spindle is counterclockwise. The normal door closing positions of the slide block 55, the cam following roller 59 and thecam 29 are illustrated in Fig. 10. From this figure, it may be observed that with the cam thusdisposed and actedupon by the forces of the springs 22 and 23 transmitted through the slide block 55, there is a positive force exerted against the cam which holds the door against its jamb.

The curvature of the surface 60 of thecam issuch :7."

that as the door is turned in a clockwise direction, as the mechanism is viewed "in Figs. and 11, the radius of the cam from its axis of rotation at the center of the spindle increases as the compression of the springs '22 and 23 whereby the force against which the door must be moved to open it increases during such openingmovement. Conversely the force exerted by the springs for closing the door decreases during the closing movement, so that the initial closing movement of the door tends to be rapid and gradually becomes slower. surface 69 near the limit of the swinging movement for opening the door not only provides increased resistance to the passage of that position,

but adjoins a concavely curved portion 85 in which the roller 59 comes to rest in the fully open position of the door; in which latter position the roller acts as a springurged detent for holding the door open.

The control mechanism for further and adjustably controlling the closing movements of a door mounted on the spindle I8 includes a piston 85 mounted for linear sliding movement in the cylinder bore 32. At theend adjacent the cam 29, the piston 95 has integrally formed thereon axially projecting fingers 81 and 88, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9, which are spaced apart and carry a cross shaft 89. Between the fingers 8'! and 88. a roller 99 is rotatably supported by the cross shaft in alignment with a surface 92 of the cam, which roller serves as a cam follower. The end of the cylinder bore 32 opposite the cam and roller 99 iscovered by a valve plate 93. Also, the end, of the piston 86 which faces the valve plate 93' hasan' annular and axially extending recess 94 therein, in which recess a compression spring 95 is mounted between the piston and valve plate to exert a biasing force against the piston which tool from the exterior of the increases, f

The rise 84 on the cam I25 of a size to fit into the outlet port H2.

holds the roller in contact with the surface 92 of the cam 29. I 1

The valve plate 93 has therein a bore 96 aligned with the cylinder bore and having an inlet check valve nipple 9'I threaded into the outer end thereof. The nipple 91 has an inlet port 98 extending therethrough and preferably has a screen-type strainer 99 secured to the outer end thereof to cover the inlet bore.

I92 which is movable in the bore 96 to and from engagement with the seat I90 to limit the flow through the port 98 to that fromthe interior of the housing 25 to the cylinder bore. The end of thecompression spring serves as a retainer for keeping the ball I92 in the bore 95.

At a position spaced from the bore 96, an outlet port I93 in the valve plate 93 communicates with the cylinder bore and is connected by a crossbore I94 to a needle valve chamber I55. A needle valve I55 threaded into a counterbore 9! at one end of the needle valve chamber serves to restrict the flow of liquid from the cylinder bore through the outlet port I53 and-cross bore Hi l; the needle valve chamber 895 being in communication with the interior of the housing 26 through an outlet passage 53, an inlet valve chamber I09 and an outletpassage H9.

In substantial alignment with the axis of the piston 95, an outlet port H2 communicateswith the cylinder bore 32 and is connected to the valve chamber I99 through a cross passage H3. Flow through the outlet port H2 and cross passage H3 from the cylinder bore is adjustably controlled by a needle valve H4 which is threaded into a counterbore I I5 at one end of the valve chamber I95. A screw plug H9 is threaded into an opening I I? in the cover plate I5, normally to cover the adjustable needle valves I95 and H4 In axial alignment with the outlet port H2, the piston 86 has a bore H8 and a counterbore H9, with a screw plug I29 threaded into the end of the counterbore H9 opposite the end of the piston which faces the outlet port I 22. A valve needle I22 is mounted for sliding movement in the bore H8 and has a head I23 slidalole in the counterbore H9 and adapted to limit the movement of the valve needle outwardly of the piston. A compression spring I24 disposed in the counterbore I I9 between the head I23 on the valve needle and the screw plug I29 biases the valve needle to extended position relative to the piston. At its outer end normally projecting from the piston, the valve needle includes a tapered end portion A shoulder I26 on the valve needle between the pro jecting end portion I25and the adjacent portion of the needle I22 serves to effect complete closure of the outlet port I I2 when it engages the surface of the valve plate. In my disclosed structure, the

parts of the valve needle are so proportioned that.

when the piston is retracted, as shown in Fig. 11, the shoulder I26 is projected outwardly from the end of the piston, thereby to effect closure of the outlet port H2 during the inward movement of the piston and before the piston reaches the inner 'limit of its stroke.

At its inner end, the nipple9'I provides a seat I99 for a check valve ball opening position, as shown in Fig. 11, the rolleragainst the seat I00, so that the liquid entrapped within the cylinder bore must pass therefrom through the outlet ports I03 and H2 under the restrictive control of theneedle valves I96 and II4 as well as the additional control provided by the valve needle I22 which is carried by the piston.

During the door closing movement, the spindle moves in a counterclockwise direction from the position of Fig. 11 to that shown in Figs. 5 and 10. In such rotation, the radius of the surface 92 with respect to the spindle axis increases, so that the tendency is to build up liquid pressure in the cylinder bore more rapidly as the piston approaches its inner limit of movement. Such action has a tendency to decrease the rate of closing movement of the door, as the door approaches its closed position. Additional to the influence in the variation of cam radius upon the rate of the spindle and door movement, the valve needle I22 which projects from the end of the piston gradually restricts the liquid flow through the outlet port II2 after a predetermined position of the piston movement is reached. The restriction of the flow through the outlet port IIZ continues until it is completely closed at a position near, but not quite at the end of the inward movement of the piston. Thus, in addition to the fact that the cam contour tends to increase the liquid pressure in the cylinder bore, the outlet flow of liquid from the cylinder bore to the interior of the housing I25 is gradually restricted, to effect a definite and gradually decreasing rate of spindle movement as it approaches and reaches the door closing position.

Since the manually adjustable needle valve II4 controls the maximum rate of liquid flow through the port II2, the influence or variation of rate of door movement which is caused by the action of the valve needle I22 can be easily and definitely varied by adjustment of that needle valve. Manual adjustment of the needle valve I06 changes the relatively fixed rate of liquid outlet flow from the cylinder bore, thereby to effect control of the rate of piston movement throughout its door closing stroke and having regulating action upon the overall time and rate of the door closing movement.

As indicated in Figs. 10 and 12, the cam has stop surface portions I21 and I28 which are separate from the surfaces 69 and 92 thereof and aligned for engagement with a stop post I29 which is secured at its opposite ends, as shown in Fig. 5, to the inner surface of the cover plate I6 and the supporting portion 34 of the cylinder block by fastening means, such as screws I30. Engagement of the stop surfaces I 21 and I28 with the post I29 determines the maximum limits of movement of the spindle. Thus, it may be observed that peripherally separated surface por- 8 tions on the cam 29 coact with the cam following rollers 59 and 99 to control respectively the force acting upon the spindle and the rate of door closing movement which is efiected by that force.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus escribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a door check mechanism, a vertical rotatable spindle to which a door is adapted to be attached, and which is adapted to be rotated by swinging movement of the door to open position, a cam on the spindle and rotatable therewith, a slide block provided with a cam follower engaging the cam, a pair of parallel rods each secured at one end of the slide block, helical compression springs on the rods urging the slide block in a direction for retaining the follower in contact with the cam and urging the cam and spindle in a door closing direction, separate adjustable abutments for the springs adjacent the ends of the rods opposite the slide block, and means comprising cooperative gears gearing the abutments together whereby adjusting movements of one of said gears for varying the compression of the spring on the respective rod effects adjustment of the other abutment for simultaneously varying the compression of the other spring.

2. In a door check mechanism, a vertical rotatable spindle to which a door is adapted to be attached and which is adapted to be rotated in one direction by swinging movement of the door toward the open position, a cam on the spindle rotatable therewith, a slide block provided with a cam follower engaging the cam, spring means urging the slide block in a direction for urging the cam and spindle toward a door closing position, threaded adjustable abutment means for the spring means adapted for adjustment in directions axially of the spring means for varying the force exerted by the cam follower against the cam, threaded means supporting the threaded abutment means, a gear on said abutment means, and a manually rotatable gear engaging said first mentioned gear and operable in directions for rotating the first mentioned gear in one direction or the other for effecting threaded axial movement of the thereaded abutment member relative to said threaded supporting means for varying the compression of the spring.

MARTIN CARLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,957,308 Anderson May 1, 1934 2,468,410 Schacht Apr. 26, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 396,889 Great Britain Aug. 1'7, 1933 499,530 Great Britain Jan. 25, 1939 566,163 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1944 

